The long-awaited, all-new Jeep Gladiator lives up to its midsize-truck promise with its tough, lightweight construction, best-in-class 7,650 pounds of towing power, and excellent 1,600-pound payload capacity. It doesn’t disappoint as an off-roader either incorporating the Wrangler’s legendary pedigree. The Gladiator boasts dual-purpose credentials; it’s a fun off-road vehicle that can do a lot of work-truck heavy lifting. Best of both worlds? It just might be.
There’s a 5-link coil suspension system at both front and back, both have different control-arm setups, with dampers working hard for a smoother ride on pavement. No, it’s never going to feel like a Bentley, but the on-road driving experience of Jeeps keeps getting better and better.
It’s easy going on the highway without a ton of vibration. The Overland and Sport come standard with 32-inch Bridgestone tires, but the Rubicon comes with 33-inch tires with Falken all-terrain design that produces a more discernible vibration. There is a bit of road noise inside the cabin, but even that gets better with every Jeep generation.
On the Sport and Overland models Jeep’s Command-Trac 4×4 system comes standard and features a 2-speed transfer case and heavy-duty Dana 44 front and rear axles. The Rubicon comes standard with the Rock-Trac 4×4 system, which includes those Dana 44 axles but also locking differentials and an electronic sway-bar disconnect feature.
The available low-end torque on both systems is as good as you’ve come to expect on the Wrangler, but especially on the Rubicon. In the longer-wheelbase Gladiator the sideways crabbing you get in 4-low as the front and rear wheels fight each other, becomes more pronounced. However, between the grip of the tires and its stout torque, even the manual Rubicon made easy work of large obstacles.
Favorite Features CONVERTIBLE OPTIONS It’s a tough work truck that comes with convertible soft-top and hardtop options. The doors come off and the windshield folds forward for a complete open-air driving experience expected in a Jeep.
3-POSITION TAILGATE Yes, two of the positions are open and closed, but Jeep offers a third. With the tailgate cable a midway position is optional, making it easy to load larger items such as drywall or 2x4s that extend beyond the 5-foot bed. It’s a small, but thoughtful feature.
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